Darlene Graham Nordone, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, has officially entered the wild world of politics, and she wants everyone to know this was absolutely not on her vision board. After being sworn in to finish her brother's term following his sudden passing from an aortic tear last month, she showed up at a candidate forum in Lexington, South Carolina on Saturday to introduce herself to hundreds of Republican voters who, until very recently, only knew her as "Lindsey's sister."
As Conservative Brief reported, Nordone told the crowd she never once dreamed of standing on a political stage delivering a stump speech, and honestly, that tracks. She openly admitted to having zero desire to become a politician, which ironically might be the most relatable thing any politician has ever said. But here she is, because President Trump personally encouraged her to jump into the race and slapped his endorsement on her like a golden seal of approval.
Now she is one of nine Republicans fighting over her brother's seat in a special primary election on August 11th. That is a crowded field, folks. You could field a baseball team with those candidates and still have a designated hitter.
Speaking to voters, Nordone acknowledged her lack of experience in elected office but argued that her real world background gives her practical knowledge about things like budgeting and healthcare costs. She pledged to champion South Carolina's interests and push forward Trump's policy agenda, because apparently that is the secret password to get into the Republican primary these days.
She is not exactly running unopposed in the "interesting backstory" department either. Former Governor Mark Sanford is attempting yet another political comeback after bailing on a House race earlier this year, and he spent his five minutes talking about cutting federal spending. Congressman Ralph Norman dropped endorsement names like Rick Scott and Mike Lee while stumping for the SAVE America Act. Then there is Congressman Russell Fry, who went full working class hero with a speech about God, hard work, and blue collar hustle.
But here is the best part of the whole event. After every candidate gave their five minute pitch, attendees voted in an informal straw poll. And what fueled this exercise in democracy? Complimentary Chick-fil-A boxed lunches. Nothing says grassroots Republican politics quite like casting your unofficial ballot while munching on a chicken sandwich.
Nordone finished first in that straw poll, edging out Fry and Norman by a slim margin. Though several voters admitted they needed more time before committing to a final pick on August 11th. One attendee named Charles Brentnell listed his top three as Norman, Fry, and Nordone, praising all of them for backing Trump's push to cut the Senate's scheduled recess short. His take on the vacation situation was pretty blunt, saying Congress should stay in session rather than taking a month off. Hard to argue with that logic, honestly.
The term Nordone inherited runs through January, so she has got a narrow window to prove herself before the primary decides whether she keeps the job permanently.
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